CLEAN-UP MARSHALS QUIT AFTER ABUSE FROM PUBLIC
Almost 25 per cent of the BMC’s force have quit in the last four months saying they are often abused and manhandled by offenders while on duty …SUDHIR SURYAWANSHI
The BMC’s strike force of “cleanup” marshals — deployed to hold to account those who litter at public places — is throwing up its hands in despair. It seems the litterbugs have got the better of these marshals.
Nearly 25 per cent of these marshals have left their jobs in the last four months, saying they are often abused and manhandled by the public while they are at their job.
They say most litterbugs just refuse to pay the fine amount. The marshals say if they persistently ask for the fine, the offenders are even willing to resort to fisticuffs. At present, 180 such marshals are working across the city’s 24 civic wards to nail those who urinate and litter at public places. The drive was started by actor Sunil Shetty on November 15, 2007. In the beginning, marshals were quite enthusiastic, but after the rude behaviour from the public, many of them lost interest.
Barinder Kumar, the project director of Central Investigation Security Services (CISS), said 94 marshals from his agency are currently working and 24 have left in the last four months.
“Faced with manhandling, abuses, many of them are leaving in the middle of the drive. We are committed to keeping the city clean. We have instructed our marshals not to pick up fights with errant citizens who refuse to pay fine,” said Kumar.
A civic officer said BMC has earned nearly Rs 80 lakh as fines during the four-month-old drive. There are four security agencies — TRICK, CISS, Property Guard and Vishal Protection — who provide marshals to BMC.
“The marshals are accompanied by volunteers from NCC and NSS, who blow a whistle when they see any one urinating and littering in public places. Soon incidents of manhandling will come down due to the presence of volunteers,” said the civic officer.
B S Bhujbal, the chief engineer, the solid waste management, admitted that marshals are leaving their jobs, but said BMC is trying to stop them. “The BMC will post ‘nuisance detectors’ (drawn from BMC staff) with marshals. If any untoward incident takes place, the matter will be reported to the police station and errant citizens will be booked. In case they are leaving for money, then that problem will also be dealt with soon,” Bhujbal added.
Nearly 25 per cent of these marshals have left their jobs in the last four months, saying they are often abused and manhandled by the public while they are at their job.
They say most litterbugs just refuse to pay the fine amount. The marshals say if they persistently ask for the fine, the offenders are even willing to resort to fisticuffs. At present, 180 such marshals are working across the city’s 24 civic wards to nail those who urinate and litter at public places. The drive was started by actor Sunil Shetty on November 15, 2007. In the beginning, marshals were quite enthusiastic, but after the rude behaviour from the public, many of them lost interest.
Barinder Kumar, the project director of Central Investigation Security Services (CISS), said 94 marshals from his agency are currently working and 24 have left in the last four months.
“Faced with manhandling, abuses, many of them are leaving in the middle of the drive. We are committed to keeping the city clean. We have instructed our marshals not to pick up fights with errant citizens who refuse to pay fine,” said Kumar.
A civic officer said BMC has earned nearly Rs 80 lakh as fines during the four-month-old drive. There are four security agencies — TRICK, CISS, Property Guard and Vishal Protection — who provide marshals to BMC.
“The marshals are accompanied by volunteers from NCC and NSS, who blow a whistle when they see any one urinating and littering in public places. Soon incidents of manhandling will come down due to the presence of volunteers,” said the civic officer.
B S Bhujbal, the chief engineer, the solid waste management, admitted that marshals are leaving their jobs, but said BMC is trying to stop them. “The BMC will post ‘nuisance detectors’ (drawn from BMC staff) with marshals. If any untoward incident takes place, the matter will be reported to the police station and errant citizens will be booked. In case they are leaving for money, then that problem will also be dealt with soon,” Bhujbal added.
The drive started on Nov 15, 2007. Initially marshals were enthusiastic, but many of them lost interest after the rude behaviour from the public